5 People ‘Back To The Future’ Probably Influenced

October 26, 1985 is the day that Marty McFly goes back… to the future. In celebration of this fictional anniversary, here are five people who (we’re guessing) based their life decisions on the legendary film.

1. Barack Obama

The president was 24 when “Back to the Future” hit theaters, and the story of Goldie Wilson could’ve had an effect on him. Wilson, a busboy whose boss laughs at the idea of an African-American getting elected in 1955 (“A colored mayor! That’ll be the day!”) later wins that very office. Needless to say, Obama similarly proved skeptics wrong in 2008.

2. Sammy Sosa

Fame? Fortune? A lot of people have theories as to why Sosa turned to performance-enhancing drugs in an attempt to slug the Cubs into relevancy. Here’s a theory: it was to uphold the “BTTF” sequel’s bold prediction that the Cubs would eventually win the World Series. Perhaps Sosa was attempting to fulfill his team’s destiny… or its “density,” as George McFly would say.

3. Libyans

The mainstream media would have you believe that Libyan extremists recently attacked the U.S. consulate in response to a YouTube clip portraying Islam in a negative light. But what if it was just because they were incensed over Hollywood’s ill-fated prediction that they’d have plutonium by now?

4. Jimi Heselden

While his name might not ring a bell, you’re certainly familiar with Heselden’s company, Segway Inc. After seeing the hoverboard chase in “Back to the Future II,” he must have realized that people would someday want effortless urban transportation. Unfortunately, his invention never caught on, and Heselden plunged to his death while driving a Segway off a thirty-foot cliff.

5. Seth MacFarlane

Let’s review two facts: 1) the “Family Guy” creator had a ticket for a doomed flight but inexplicably didn’t board, and 2) he purchased a replica–an exact replica–of Marty McFly’s time-traveling DeLorean. We’re just sayin’.